London, 21 February 1884 

My dear Laura, 

Your news about the children’s * health is more or less reassuring — 
except poor Wolf? who, however, seems the strongest of the lot and, 
we hope, will have got over the worst when you next give us some 
news. 

As to what is to be done in case anything happens to Longuet, well, 
that will have to be considered if that event should occur; I do not see 
what much should be gained if we ‘speculated’ on that now — I mean 
speculating in the philosophical sense—at any rate I do not see 
either what we can do under present circumstances with such a pa- 
ternal father as Longuet, but if you do, I shall be most happy to 
hear from you on the subject. 

We have arranged with Gittens about packing and forwarding the 
books, etc., for you and Lavroff* and as they have not come for them 
for two days, Nim has gone to stir them up. 

@ Jean, Edgar, Marcel and Jenny Longuet-> Edgar Longuet-° See this volume, 
p. 95. 

Herewith the preface to the Misére by — Mohr himself! '°! Bern- 
stein has re-discovered this old article which I have at once translat- 
ed. Please, you and Paul, to turn my translation into proper French 
and return it along with the original which belongs to the Parter- 
Archw'** at Zurich. There will only a few more words be required. 
But what will the French public say to the rather unceremonious 
manner in which Mohr speaks of them? And will it be wise to have 
this true and impartial judgment at the risk that the Brousses say: 
voila le Prussten*? Anyhow, [ should be very loth to soften the article 
down to suit le godt parisien’ but it is worth considering. There is no 
denying that the bas empire has been there for 18 years. 

Paul’s bon dieu is charming, so is the introduction to his confér- 
ence.17° The exposé too is quite taking for his public and [ am not as- 
tonished at his success. But he might now and then give them a new il- 
lustration from the Kapital besides the old quotation of Liebig about 
the size of recruits *; and not treat 1) la concurrence and 2) loffre et la 
demande,’ which is but la concurrence over again. If I am strict with 
him, it’s because I see it does him good and he improves considerably 
by hammering a bit now and then; his last performances certainly 
show great progress, and if he would only be a little more attentive to 
certain theoretical points (mostly of detail) he would be a great light 
in Paris, ville-lumiére as it is. 

Now I must conclude. Nim has come back and we must make up 
book-packets for Russia and America, in time for registering. She says 
Gittens cannot come before Tuesday or Wednesday "— so she sends 
you a kiss, I the same, and une bonne poignée de main‘ to Paul 

From your affectionate 
F. Engels